Did president Lincoln want to punish the southern states?

President Abraham Lincoln's primary goal during the Civil War was to preserve the Union rather than to punish the Southern states. He advocated for a lenient approach to Reconstruction, emphasizing reconciliation and reintegration of the South. However, he also believed in holding leaders accountable for the rebellion and ensuring the abolition of slavery. His assassination in 1865 left the direction of Reconstruction to his successors, who took a more punitive stance.